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 COOLING TOWER
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
by Paul R. Puckorius
Puckorius & Associates, Inc.
www.Puckorius.com
www.watertrainingservices.com
April 13, 2011
Presented by Process Cooling
 Archive
www.process-cooling.com
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 COOLING TOWER SYSTEM
PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS
 Cooling Tower-Where & What
* Materials of Construction
* Fill- Splash vs High Efficiency
 Heat Transfer Equipment
* Proper Initial Startup
 Recirculation Lines
* Initial Protection/ Stagnant Water
 NEW GALVANIZED STEEL
COOLING TOWER
PROBLEM -White Rust
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION -Proper Initial Startup if
a New Tower
*Follow Manufacturers Guidelines
This takes several weeks/ months
at a controlled pH ( 6.0- 8.0 )
 NEW GALVANIZED STEEL
COOLING TOWER
PROBLEM -White Rust
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION -Proper Initial Startup if
a New Tower- Rapid -12-48 hours
*Use 100-150 ppm phosphate with a
good phosphate scale inhibitor and
a pH of 7.0-7.5. Then maintain 3-5
ppm phosphate in tower treatment
 NEW GALVANIZED STEEL
COOLING TOWER
PROBLEM -White Rust
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION -Proper Initial Startup if
a New Tower- Rapid -12-48 hours
*Use 100-150 ppm poly silicate with
a pH of 7.5-8.5. Then maintain a
silicate level of 20-30 ppm.
 GALVANIZED COOLING TOWERS-
POTENTIAL VENT CONTAMINATION
 OLD GALVANIZED STEEL
COOLING TOWER
PROBLEM -White Rust
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION
*Clean with Citric Acid
*Use Rapid Passivation- either
phosphate or poly silicate method or
epoxy coating of water wet areas
* Consider Magnesium Anodes
 GALV. STEEL COOLING
TOWER SEVERE CORROSION
 GALV. TUBING IN TOWER
(Fluid Coolers)
PROBLEM -White Rust & Leaks
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION -Proper Initial Startup if
a New Fluid Cooler
*Follow Manufacturers Guidelines
This takes several weeks/ months
at a controlled pH ( 6.0- 8.0 )
 GALV. TUBING IN TOWER
( Fluid Cooler)
PROBLEM -White Rust- Leaks
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION -Proper Initial Startup if
a New Cooler- Rapid -12-48 hours
*Use 100-150 ppm phosphate with a
good phosphate scale inhibitor and
a pH of 7.0-7.5. Then maintain 3-5
ppm phosphate in water treatment
CORRODED GALV. STEEL PIPE
 GALV. TUBING IN TOWER
(Fluid Cooler)
PROBLEM -White Rust
This is corrosion of Galvanized Steel
SOLUTION
*Clean with Citric Acid
*Use Rapid Passivation- either
phosphate or poly silicate method or
epoxy coating of water wet areas
 NEW TREATED WOOD
COOLING TOWER
PROBLEM–Leaching of preservative-
copper/arsenic- copper leaching and
plating on mild steel and corrosion
SOLUTION – Do not circulate tower
water through mild steel piping.
*Treat with a copper Inhibitor at
50-100 ppm to “tie-up” the copper
and to “fix” preservative in the wood
 REBUILDING WITH TREATED
COOLING TOWER WOOD
PROBLEM–Leaching of preservative-
copper/arsenic- can cause copper
plating on mild steel & corrosion
SOLUTION –
*Treat with a copper Inhibitor at
50-100 ppm to “tie-up” the copper
and to “fix” preservative in the wood
during treated wood replacement
TREATED WOOD (4/4) WITH
INTERNAL DEEP ROT
 COOLING TOWER WITH
ALGAE COATED SPLASH FILL
PROBLEM – Can harbor Legionella
bacteria and add as food source –
but may increase tower efficiency
SOLUTION – Need to add biocide to
the cooling tower return and to
maintain a residual through the fill-
if oxidant hold 0.5 ppm free and/or
use a non-oxidant weekly till gone
SPLASH FILL WITH ALGAE
 COOLING TOWER WITH
HIGH DENSITY FILM FILL
PROBLEM – If plugged or restricted
will reduce tower efficiency and
could collapse fill into tower basin
SOLUTION – Usually high in biofilm-
add biocide and dispersant to the
return water to tower- if an oxidant
used should be positive out of fill-
find that hydrogen peroxide works
FOULED FILM FILL
FOULED FILM FILL
NEW HIGH DENSITY FILM FILL
 COOLING TOWER BASIN
WITH SEDIMENT
PROBLEM– Plugging of lines/nozzles
and deposits in heat exchangers
SOLUTION – Install a filter designed
for the density of the sediment.
*cyclone type for heavy sediment
*cartridge or sand for light sediment
*filter system 4-5 times per day or
3-5% of circulation rate at tower
 FILTERS
CARTRIDGE CYCLONE
STONES AND FIBERS PLUGGING
CONDENSER TUBES
 Filter Types and Sizing
 Dense Particles- Cyclone Type
 Light Weight- Sand & Cartridge
 Mixture- Sand & Cartridge & MMF*
 Oil- Absorbant Type
 Full Flow or Side Stream
 Side Stream Filters Tower Volume 3-4
times per day (often 3-5% recirc. rate)
*Multi-Media Filter
 Obtaing Cleaner Cooling
Water
 Use Filters- On Every Cooling Tower

 Use Water Agitators in Basin w/Filters

 Use Chemical Dispersants w/Filters

 NEW MILD STEEL TUBED
HEAT EXCHANGER
PROBLEM – Corrosion and rust
deposits found after 6 months in
service- started up without initial
high level corrosion inhibitor
SOLUTION
*Clean with Hydro-blast or Chemical
*Use a Rapid Passivation with a
Phosphate-based inhibitor ( 60 ppm)
MILD STEEL TUBES AND TUBE
SHEET W/ RUST DEPOSITS
CLEANED MILD STEEL TUBES
AND TUBE SHEET
 NEW MILD STEEL TUBED
HEAT EXCHANGER
PROBLEM – Startup needed with a
combination alkaline cleaner and a
mild steel passivation treatment
SOLUTION- If an isolated bundle:
* Clean/Passivate w/ 1.5% Phosphate
& cleaner for 2-4 hours at 120-140*F.
* If not isolated use a phosphate at
40-60 ppm (PO4), ambient, for 48 hrs
 NEW COPPER TUBED
HEAT EXCHANGER
PROBLEM – Corrosion can occur within
one year if no initial passivation- pits
& localized attack often w/enhanced
tubes but also smooth tubes
SOLUTION – Initial Protection Needed
* Treat exchanger with 50-100 ppm of
a good copper corrosion inhibitor
* Keep high level for 24 hours- then
maintain 5 ppm copper inhibitor
SUPER ENHANCED COPPER
TUBE
ENHANCED COPPER TUBE W/ PIT
 ENHANCED COPPER
TUBED CHILLER
PROBLEM - Corrosion can occur with
pits & localized attack in grooves
with low copper inhibitor (1-2 ppm)
SOLUTION –
*Need to maintain 3-5 ppm copper
inhibitor (active) at all times
* If chiller shut down- restart
w/copper inhibitor at 10-20 ppm
(active) for a week
 NEW STAINLESS STEEL
PLATE & FRAME BUNDLE
PROBLEM – Corrosion and leaks- bundle
periodically stagnant
SOLUTION
*Sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) can
cause pits and loss of protection
*Add a good SRB biocide regularly
*Eliminate stagnant water or rinse
with10% H2O2 before stagnant period
STAINLESS STEEL PLATE &
FRAME HEAT EXCHANGER
STAINLESS STEEL TUBE PITS
 MILD STEEL TUBE SHEET
WITH COPPER TUBES
PROBLEM – Severe tube sheet
corrosion due to galvanic couple
SOLUTION- Little from water treatment
* Use a multi-coat epoxy (different
colors) after blasting & rebuilding
* Also coat water box and channel
with same- Inspect & repair yearly
* New chiller should be coated
SEVERE CORROSION OF MILD STEEL
TUBE SHEET DUE TO COPPER TUBES
EPOXY COATED TUBE SHEET
ZINC SACRIFICIAL ANODE
 NEW MILD STEEL PIPING
PROBLEM – Often stagnant for
weeks/months after hydrotest- can
cause serious corrosion/deposits.
SOLUTION- Initial water treated with a
combination alkaline cleaner and a
mild steel passivation treatment
* Use a phosphate/cleaner combo at
50-100 ppm (PO4) and maintain till
operating then reduce to 20 ppm PO4
FOULED STEEL PIPE
STEEL PIPE W/ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE CORROSION
 A Complete Cooling Water
Treatment Program
 Proper Initial Conditioning
 Scale Control
 Fouling Control
 Corrosion Control
 Microbio Control
All items must be controlled. If one area is
not controlled, the entire program may fail.
Need to Know Your System-
All Water Contacted Surfaces
Metals- tubes, lines, water boxes, tube
sheets, and cooling tower
Equipment Design- water in tubes, water on
shell, jackets, fill type in tower
Operation- max. water temp, min. water
velocity, any stagnant periods, any
contamination from air or water or process
Water-Concentrated Tower Water
 Water Conservation for
Cooling Tower Systems
 Higher Cycles of Concentration
 Newest Technology Currently Available
 Chemicals
Scale Inhibitors (Crystal Modifiers)
Softening w/blowdown Return
 Non-Chemical
Filters
Several Electric/pulse/wave devices
Water Reuse- Saving Fresh
 Successful in many Industries-the near
future of most
 Use of Internally generated “used water”
Softener rinse, RO reject, boiler blow
down, chiller condensate,
 Externally available recycle water
treated municipal waste water (recycle
water) and even rain water.
“Green” Products Available
 Chemicals
Biocides- Ozone. Chlorine Dioxide,
Peroxides, Quats
Corrosion Inhibitors- Organics, Silicates,
and even Tin Salts
Deposit inhibitors- from Oysters
 Non-Chemical
Filters
Devices- Pulse/Electric/Precipitators
Measuring Results-To Verify
Equipment Protection
 System Inspections during outages
 Monitoring Systems on-line
Corrosion by coupons & Instantaneous
Deposits by heat transfer monitors
Bio-corrosion by specific monitors
Bio-deposits by ATP, DNA, Sessile
rather than Planktonic
 Cooling Tower
Problems & Solutions

 THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

 GLAD TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL

QUESTIONS
 NEED MORE HELP?
HOW TO CONTACT US?
Puckorius & Associates, Inc.
6621 West 56th Ave Suite 200 Arvada, Colorado 80002
Phone-303-674-9897 Fax-303-674-1453

Florida Office- 9005 Lake Lynn Drive Sebring, FL 33876

Phone 863-655-1036
E-mail Waterphd1@aol.com
Web - www.Puckorius.com &
www.watertrainingservices.com
Paul Puckorius cell- 303-638-0587